BEIJING—President Xi Jinping is turning to a trusted political ally who ran his potent anticorruption campaign to help manage the critical but fraught relationship with the U.S. as trade tensions escalate, according to officials familiar with the leadership’s thinking.

Wang Qishan, who stepped down from the leadership in October after hitting an unofficial retirement age, is being considered by Mr. Xi for several roles, including as state vice president, the officials said.